Pappu Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and Anand Mohan

Saharsa, Sept. 7: The Congress has unwittingly given a fresh lease of life to Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav and Anand Mohan — the incarcerated underworld operators who were gasping for survival.

Last year, the two dons, whose names once struck terror in the Kosi belt, were sentenced to life terms in prison. While Pappu was convicted in the murder of CPM legislator Ajit Sarkar, Mohan was found guilty for lynching IAS officer G. Krishnaiyyah in 1994.

Both are serving term in jail. Their appeal against the order is pending in the Supreme Court.

Their efforts to hold their sway through their wives suffered a body blow in last year’s Lok Sabha polls. While Ranjita Ranjan, wife of Pappu Yadav, lost her Lok Sabha seat, Lovely Anand, the wife of Mohan, was crushed in Sheohar, where the BJP’s Rama Devi won.

The Congress’ attempt to find a foothold in Bihar has apparently given a new lease of life to the two “dons”, whose political obituary pundits were busy writing, till the oldest party of India roped in the duo ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s visit on Saturday.

Pappu Yadav has already established his control over the Youth Congress, y getting his staunch supporter Lallan Yadav elected as its state unit president and his wife nominated as the party’s spokesman. Anand Mohan, too, has succeeded in getting Lovely serve the Congress in the run up to the assembly polls.

Both Ranjita and Lovely canvassed in the Kosi belt’s hinterlands to ensure the success of Rahul’s visit. The walls in Saharsa were plastered with his pictures standing in the middle of Ranjita and Lovely. The posters described Rahul as the “future leader” of India while urging the people to respond to his call for a change of rule in the state.

Ironically, Pappu and Anand Mohan were known for their gang rivalry for decades in the Kosi region and the war raging between the two had witnessed several armed clashes between their supporters. The gunbattle between two near Saharsa in 1992 had left four people dead. While Mohan was the “leader” of the Rajputs, Pappu was an epitome of militancy in the region.

“When it comes to saving lives in floods, even a venomous snake and human beings travel on the same boat,” remarked a Saharsa resident, Lalitesh Mishra, who is also a professor at B.P. Mandal University at Madhepura. “The two chieftains of the Kosi belt have ganged up for survival and have been working for the party together from behind the bars,” he added.

State Congress chief Mehboob Ali Quaiser had been instrumental in wooing Mohan ahead of Rahul’s visit. Apparently, on the green signal from the party high command, the otherwise soft-spoken and suave Quaiser met Mohan in prison seeking the latter’s support to the Congress ahead of Rahul’s arrival.